Growing Pains
by icclenomi
Summary: Told from the views of the Atlantis team as children, we uncover hidden pasts. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Growing Pains**

**Disclaimer- I don't own the characters or anything to do with Stargate**

**Warnings-none**

**Summary- Told from the views of the Atlantis team as children, we uncover hidden pasts. **

**John laid in bed for hours. He just couldn't sleep, well how are you supposed to when you know that when morning comes you get showered with gifts? Close your eyes at least, come on John if you sleep it'll get here quicker. He shut his eyes for all of five seconds before his alarm went off, 8.00. He burst down the hall towards his parents room, but missed his footing and found himself tumbling into darkness.**

Don't make a sound, don't make a sound, don't make a sound. Teyla sat alone in a dark crack in the wall. Don't move, don't make a sound, don't ever get caught. The Wraith were taking everyone they saw. Long silent breaths, don't make a sound, never make a sound, don't make a sound. A writh walked past her hiding spot then paused. Don't move, don't breathe, don't look. She heard the wraith move on and opened her eyes to see her brother being dragged away by the wraith.

_Rodney saw nothing special about Christmas. It was simply another reason to get upset, to be let down. He knew it was time to get up, but he liked his bed, almost as much as he liked his skates. How long can I lie here before they start to care? A long time, he thought. Jeannie's home so they'll forget I'm here, I could lie here all day... unless I climb out of my window again, go for a skate... I could be back before they knew I was gone. He decided he would so he wrapped his thick coat around him and opened the second story window and as he was about to throw his second foot outside, the door opened._

**_Market day, be a good boy Ronon, fetch me a basket of Tekhi seeds. You can get yourself something while you're there. Ronon walked down the lane, why did they have to live so far away from the city? His mother was ill at the moment so he did all of the little jobs she asked him to do. left right, right left. left left left, right right knee, ow! Stand up, walk it off, ignore the red on your leg. Keep on going forward to the market and find the tekhi seeds. Right...seeds seeds seeds...where are the- hey it's that girl from the next town...what is she doing in Sateda? Oh well, seeds- hey! She's stealing that! Catch her, but don't forget the tekhi beans!_**

**Who's the idiot who invented tests? They're annoying, oh no... please do take more of my blood. I'll be fine, don't need it anyway. Honestly, i only banged my head a little bit! I'll be fine as soon as I get my presents.**

Why him? Why couldn't it have been- don't think it. It's far to horrible. Never wish the Wraith on anybody, not your worst enemy. Have they gone yet? Can I come out? Can I go find the rest of my family?

_Someone shouted...and I fell...it hurt something rotten...can't skate no more. I'm not going to look at it...I know it's hurt...I missed my skates, they're next to my head... I'll just wait here for someone to come..._

**_I know she's here somewhere... I saw her. where is the little theif? I have to catch her quickly so I can get those seeds. The market will close soon, but I have to catch her! You can't just steal someone's livelyhood!_**

****

This is a finished peice, i just have to type it up, but first I need to see if it's worth it, so lemme know what you think so far.


	2. Chapter 2

**Growing Pains**

**Disclaimer- I don't own the characters or anything to do with Stargate**

**Warnings-none**

**Summary- Told from the views of the Atlantis team as children, we uncover hidden pasts. **

**Still at the hospital- they want to keep me in for 'a night or so' but; Presents! True, it's only a few of them. . I get five presents now, five more tomorrow. Can't carry them all, John. These Canadians are so annoying, I'll bet it's because they know that America is so much better than their country. Why we had to come here for Christmas...oh right, Aunt Judy...i wish that kid would stop looking at me...**

We are going away for a while, through the ring of the ancestors, until the village is rebuilt a bit. I can see the looks everyone gives us, looks of sympathy, so much sympathy. There isn't enough room on this world for all of us who travelled here, so we look to another. We are welcomed into the home of a lady who is ill.

_It was Jeannie. This is good for the following reasons; 1)if it was Dad, he'd shout at me, 2) if it was Mom she'd lecture me and 3) Jeannie drove me straight to the hospital. I'm lying here, just waiting...my leg needs surgery- thats never good, right? There's a boy in the bed opposite me, he's just surrounded with people- I'm surprised he can breathe. Everyone is showering him with gifts...okay theres about five or six, but still. Jeannies trying to explain whats going on over the phone, Mom and Dad are mad...I feel really alone._

**_I'm forced to give up. She hasn't turned up and the market has gone for another week, my mother is going to be very disappointed. No rush, I don't need to run into 'I'm very disappointed'...on second thoughts the waiting is worse, start to run._**

**What's your problem? I ask the boy, Quit staring at me! My mom lightly clips me around the ear, Don't be rude! He looks away and I start to notice stuff. No family, no friends... no presents! It's Christmas day and he's by himself! I start to feel bad because he's right in frontof me and i'm almost flaunting my good fortune. Earlier i told my mom that I was thirsty and she tapped my dad to go and get me a drink...who's there to do that for him?**

I ask the lady if she'd like some help; with cooking, with cleaning, with anything. She says no, but thankyou for offering. My son will be home soon, he will help me. But, i say, we are taking advantage of your hospitality. She laughs, if you feel that way so strongly, I will allow you to wash the vegetables.

_Night came and I hugged my pillow. The boy opposite me whispers to me. Hey, he says, what did you do? He's an American, i gathered that from earlier. I fell out of my window. I whisper back, you? Down the stairs. I'm John. Rodney._

**_I get home and there are people in my house. Mother, I say loudly, who are they? They are from another world. They are staying here for a while. Why? They were culled._**


	3. Chapter 3

**Growing Pains**

**Disclaimer- I don't own the characters or anything to do with Stargate**

**Warnings-none**

**Summary- Told from the views of the Atlantis team as children, we uncover hidden pasts. **

**Rodney's funny. He complains about stuff in a way that makes me laugh- he almost made a nurse cry earlier! She brought him a lemon jelo. Are you trying to kill me or are you just braindead? It doesn't matter who you are it seems, he'll talk back. I'm going to have to ask him how he managed to fall out of a window...**

Before we sit down to eat, the kind lady, who I know now to be called Letima, gave me a small animal. I have never seen this breed before. As she explained how to look after it- her son came home.

_Skate. I wanted to skate. The boy in front of me smiles. Play hockey? Yes- I did. Did? Well I can't very much play anymore! I suppose...not well maybe... I prefer football. Football, yeuck! What's wrong with football? What's right with football? Cheerleaders! Well, yeah...but what else? There's the- nope. Well there's also- it sucks! Rod, let me finish! Why? I know what you're going to say! How could you poss- I just do._

**_Well, she was disappointed. You've been gone all day, and you come back with no more than you went out with! Sorry, Mami. Well, just go out there and make sure our guests are comfortable._**

**His parents came by earlier, just before mine. They didn't ask how he was, didn't hug...no emotions. His dad asked how much is this going to cost me. Then, is it absolutely necessary? I wanted to pound him! I wanted to run up to him and pound him. He's your son! I would yell into his ear. They left shortly after, and Rodney stayed quiet.**

I like Letima's son. He is kind, although he is quiet. He does not talk much, but I can tell he is in deep thought. The creature crawled up my arm and brought out it's claws, I had only made a small squeak when he lifted it off me and whispered to it. Its claws retracted and he gave it back.

_John was leaving the next day, after my parents had come. I felt sick to my stomach by the time they went home. It's bad enough that they're like that in private, but them being like that in front of my new...no first proper friend...As he left he threw me a mini-football. He'd written on the side; Your friend, John. Don't forget me. I didn't know what to give him back. you don't have to give me anything he says. I want to. I reach into my bag and pull out my book and I scribble a message._

**_They were sad. I'm not surprised. Who wouldn't be? There was a girl, about my age, she watched her brother and her father being taken by the wraith. I hope I'm never in a situation like that, my only family is my Mami._**

**I gave Rodney a present earlier. He didn't get many, I only saw one that his sister slipped him. I told him he didn't have to give me anything but he said he wanted to. He handed me an exercise book, he'd drawn pictures in it, cartoon strips. And I flipped to the back, there were all sorts of equasions that I swore I'd learn to understand. He'd written me a note on the cover. To the American Jock, check out page 4, 9 and 18. Your pal, Rod. M. It was that moment that I knew I would never see him again.**

We moved back to Athos a week ago. But it is so different that I am having trouble believing it is the same place, our home. I cling to my newest fiend, who I called Letima, and wondered how many of my friends were killed. Only a few have returned.

_In the year that followed that Christmas I worked hard. I got on my skates as soon as the doctors allowed. I remembered what John said 'not well maybe' it stuck with me. I figured that just because I couldn't do something well didn't mean I couldn't try._

**_The guests are moving back to their home world, Athos. The girl, Maya, told me of her friend. Teyla saved me. she explained, I couldn't find somewhere to hide so she pushed me into her's and looked for somewhere else. Maya didn't even know if Teyla survived. I told her I hoped so, I meant it. I hope I would have that courage in the midst of the Wraith but I don't think I could._**

nearly finished now. just one more ch.


	4. Epilogue

**Growing Pains**

**Disclaimer- I don't own the characters or anything to do with Stargate**

**Warnings-none**

**Summary- Told from the views of the Atlantis team as children, we uncover hidden pasts.**

EPILOGUE

"Rodney."

"Yeah, Colonel?"

"You did good out there."

"No I didn't. I nearly got everyone dead." Rodney ran his fingers through his short hair.

"But you didn't." Rodney picked up a ball from his desk and began throwing and catching it.

"But, I could have."

"But you didn't." John said a bit more forcefully, then he added, "You weren't trained to be a soldier."

"Well, neither was-"

"Don't want to hear it." John raised his hand. "End of conversation."

"Yeah."

"Hey, Rodney, Pass!" Rodney threw the battered football just above John's head to jump-catch. "Why do you have such an old ball?"

"Just a reminder from another life...An old friend gave it to me, I had to keep it... You have stuff like that surely?"

"Just the one thing."

"What is it?"

"You'll laugh."

"Ahem! I've kept a toy football for twenty-six years!"

"Really? Twenty-six?"

"Yeah, I was ten so...Why?"

"Nothing... I've had my thing since I was eleven and a half."

"So what? Twenty three/twenty four years?"

"Twenty-six."

"You're kidding! You're older than me?"

"I'm almost thirty-eight."

"Oh, that's just not right!" By this stage they were throwing the ball between them, when John suddenly asked;

"What's written on the side? Your name?"

"The writing faded, huh? It said - 'Don't forget me'"

"That's it?"

"No, wait... before that it siad-"

"Your friend, John?"

"No way! It can't be..."

"You're the kid with the cartoons and equasions!"

"Oh, God!"

"Why didn't it occur to me? Canadian...equasions...my pal 'Rod. M'?"

"You didn't..."

"Bring the book with me? It's in my room. Elizabeth loves the authority figure one."

"You showed Elizabeth?"

"Yeah..."

"How many...?"

"Not that many..."

"How many?"

"Teyla, Ford, Ronon, Zelenka, Bates... I showed it to Grodin a couple of years back... He laughed at page 17 said I should show you."

"But you didn't! From the sounds of things you showed it to everyone but me!"

"I could swear I..."

"You didn't."

"Well I-"

"Don't give that excuse you used it last week."

"But you-"

"I mean it. That one too."

"Rodney, let me finish!"

"Why? I know what you're going to say!"

"How could you poss-"

"I just do."

**END**

_So, let me know what you think!_


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